Nothing happened over the next few days.
That blockhead Guts spent all day hanging around with Farnese, the bald-headed Azan, and the others at the military camp outside the city. Who knew what he was busy with? Meanwhile, Elektra, who'd stolen a pile of Scepters, spent all day pestering Schierke to teach her magic. So Annie, with a full stomach and nothing to do, naturally spent her days wandering around.
But for some reason, today was an exception.
The sun was already high in the sky when Annie lazily woke up and wandered from her bedroom in the fortress to the back garden. To her surprise, she saw Guts, Farnese, Schierke, Elektra, and the others gathered in the garden's pavilion. They were packed together, speaking in low voices with grave expressions. She had no idea what they were talking about.
"??"
|˙˙)
And so!
Curious and with nothing better to do, Annie naturally trotted over without a second thought.
"Hey!"
(ψ｀▽′)o
"What are all of you doing hanging around here instead of working?"
"Huh?"
(⊙o⊙*)
"I don't think I've seen this little runt who looks like a monkey before. Who is he?"
(°ー°〃)
After rudely shoving aside Azan, the bald strongman, Annie spotted the strange little brat in the middle of the group. He had scraggly yellow hair, was as skinny as a twig, and had what seemed to be a male House-elf sitting on his shoulder. Without a second thought, she bluntly asked who he was.
"!?"
"A-a little runt who looks like a monkey?"
Hearing Annie's sudden, rude, and thoroughly unfriendly remark, the boy she'd called "a little runt who looks like a monkey" instantly bristled. He looked about Elektra's age, but was even shorter—almost as small as eight-year-old Annie.
"Hey!"
"Who are you calling a brat?"
"I'll